2 indicted in alleged bribery scheme

Updated 11:42 pm, Thursday, July 19, 2012

A former Northside Independent School District executive and a contractor with the district were both indicted Thursday on allegations they participated in a $25,000 bribery scheme.

Ex-maintenance and operations director Bernie Morin, 59, could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted of the felony bribery charge, as could Datech Services Inc. owner Adan Flores, whose company was paid $206,000 by the district for workplace safety training and equipment.

The two were also indicted on “gift to a public servant” charges, a Class A misdemeanor.

Reached at his home Thursday afternoon, Morin declined to comment. Flores said he disagreed with the grand jury's decision before declining further comment.

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Morin worked for the school district for a decade before he was put on administrative leave in May 2011 after an audit of his department. He resigned from the $92,000-per-year position shortly thereafter.

“We expect all staff to perform to the highest levels of integrity,” NISD Executive Director of Communications Pascual Gonzalez said in a statement Thursday, explaining that the investigation included the district's human resources and police departments.

The police investigation ultimately resulted in a determination there was no evidence of criminal activity. But the case was then forwarded to the district attorney's office, which conducted its own review.

According to prosecutors, Morin accepted the $25,000 from Flores in installments over a nine-month period in 2010 and 2011. His purchases from Flores' company were broken up into increments of $2,000 or less “to avoid scrutiny,” according to district documents previously obtained by the Express-News.

Morin was also indicted Thursday on allegations he solicited and accepted a loan from an employee of another district contractor.

District documents state he authorized $20,000 in payments to Intromex LLC in 2010 and 2011, including $13,000 for 550 gallons of nonslip paint that his boss told him not to get because it was intended for wooden wheelchair ramps instead of aluminum ones primarily used by the district. Morin was friends with that company's owner, as well, he told investigators.

“I certainly earned a tail-whipping for this but only acted out of benefit for the district,” Morin said in an email to his supervisor, according to previous Express-News reports.